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Additional services to be provided include 240 places in pre-school centres and 24 residential places for children with a disability; and 1,640 residential places and 1,150 day service places for adults with a disability. The Government will subvent two new types of rehabilitation services - Community Rehabilitation Network centres for chronically ill persons and their carers, and domiciliary occupational therapy service to clients awaiting institutional services or being discharged from institutions.

In addition, with the opening of the Pokfulam Skills Centre in September this year, 233 full-time training places and 150 boarding places will be available to all categories of people with a disability.

Another $1.6 billion will also be spent on improving family and child welfare services. These will include the provision of 3,511 places in child care centres; recruitment of overseas experts to strengthen specialised training for social workers, clinical psychologists and police officers in handling child abuse cases; and the implementation of a witness support programme to reduce the trauma of children serving as witnesses in child abuse cases.

Turning to health, the Secretary noted that of the $25.8 billion allocated, $2,131 million would go to the Department of Health and $22 billion to the Hospital Authority, an increase of 12.3 per cent and 6.4 per cent respectively compared with 1996/97.

She said that to cope with the community development and population in Tung Chung, the Department of Health planned to open a clinic there in 1997/98 and had allocated $10.8 million for its recurrent expenditure.

The Student Health Service, established in 1995 and proved to be very popular, will receive $7.63 million to cater for the higher than expected demand.

In addition, the District Health System aimed to promote health education and disease prevention through mobilisation of community resources and collaboration with other service providers at the local level, will be expanded to cover Hong Kong Island as well.

As regards the Hospital Authority, Mrs Fok said three new hospitals - the Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital at Tai Po, the North District Hospital and the Tai Po Infirmary/Convalescent Hospital - would start operation in 1997/98.

"The phased commissioning of these hospitals will help meet the demand arising from the population growth in the New Territories," she said. "Together with additional facilities to be opened in existing hospitals, we will be able to provide a total of 669 new hospital beds in 1997/98."